Allison build: slope shoulder dread, German spruce/black walnut - Page 5

steveb2223 · #61 01-27-2014, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt

Hey SteveB - I don't know if you have ever visited Hill Country Guitars, but they are re-opening any day now here in Austin and they carry John's guitars. They have a killer single-0, a couple of gorgeous OMs and and a dread that will drown out anything else in the shop. Check them out - it's a good way to start getting an idea of what your favorite size and style are.

I made it out to the Wimberley store a week or two before they shut down. Spent a lovely afternoon playing a bunch of guitars including Allison, Collings, Kinscherff and Froggy Bottom. All very, very good, but the Froggy F-body was the standout for its craftsmanship and aesthetics as well as the tone. That said, when I'm ready for my first custom build I'll almost certainly go to John. I don't want to miss out on the experience of being fully engaged in the build process. Can't wait for the new HCG store - it's about 10 minutes from me!

SJ VanSandt · #62 01-27-2014, 09:45 PM

I liked the Froggies too - my favorite was the big K. Those Kinscherffs are very nice, and the used one is quite a good deal. He's a local builder I would really like to meet. And Collings of every possible flavor - what a great shop!

Austin is really blessed with some great guitar shops. I spent some time at Fiddler's Green today, and in addition to the great stuff by Jeff Robertson (another local guy that builds great guitars), they have a 1953 or '54 Gibson J-50 that's as sweet as can be, and a 30 year old D-45 that's killer.

SJ VanSandt · #63 10-28-2014, 08:54 AM

I have this guitar on consignment at Hearts Home acoustics so I thought I would bump up the build thread in case anyone wanted a closer look. It's a great guitar but didn't turn out to be the perfect fit that I was hoping for. It's more of a singer/songwriter fingerstyle guitar, it turns out, than a bluegrass cannon. Not that it lacks power - it's quite loud but responds to a light touch as well - but it does lack the low note punch of a good standard dread, and it lacks the midrange scoop that give a traditional dread its character - which it seems I am accustomed (if not addicted) to. These would not be bad things for many players. Anyone looking for OM balance in a larger body should check this out.

SJ VanSandt · #64 12-18-2014, 05:36 PM

Dec. 17 - I traded this for another guitar. It's still a great guitar, still available at Heart's Home Acoustics, but I no longer own it. I imagine they will drop the price some now but I don't know how much. If you are interested you should make them an offer.

SJ VanSandt · #65 01-26-2019, 09:05 PM

This guitar had been hanging on the wall at Heart's Home Acoustics for too long - I couldn't stand it anymore! I traded my Allison dreadnaught and a Pono octave mandolin for it, straight up. The dread had been my main ax for a while and I'll always love it, but my infatuation with bluegrass has cooled, and I want to migrate toward shorter scale and relaxed string spacing. Also, two-out-and-one-in is what I'm looking to do, for a while. I'm hoping to realize some cash though, next time!

For a good while the photos hosted by Photobucket were no longer visible, but they seem to have relented, so if you want to go back through the thread there are pics to see - not all of them for some reason, but most.

TomB'sox · #66 01-27-2019, 07:48 AM

I am pretty sure I just tried that one a month ago when I was there. Was it on the end wall to the right as you walk in?

Did you see the announcement for B.I.G. hanging near the checkout?

Guitars44me · #67 01-27-2019, 09:58 AM

So, is this the same guitar? I love 12 fret slope dread shapes. Basically my John Kinnaird Round Peaks are slightly oversized slope dreads with a bit of a pinched waist.

Always glad to see a good reunion story here on AGF, (or anywhere!

. The Allison 14 fret OM I had was a Very Nice Axe!

Cheers

Paul

SJ VanSandt · #68 01-27-2019, 09:59 AM

That's not where it was hanging yesterday but they do tend to move things around. The stock was pretty depleted - they had a good holiday.

I didn't see the notice, Tom, but I talked to a couple of people about B.I.G. They are having their 10th anniversary sale that Saturday - 10% off everything - so the timing isn't perfect.